1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic bait chummer that macerates and ejects the bait from the device without the need for manual operation.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Chumming is a standard form of baiting fish and other aquatic life for subsequent capture. Basically, chumming involves cutting up bait and other food products (scrap meat, synthetic bait, etc.,) and placing the cut up bait into the water wherein the bait will be detected by bait fish or by the fish to be captured, which fish approach the bait and come within range of the fisherman. Chumming can be as simple as manually cutting the bait up and throwing it overboard, although chumming devices have been proposed that assist in the chumming process. Some simple devices include burlap or netted bags that are filled with the cut up bait and hung over the side of the vessel or the dock if chumming land side. The bag prevents the bait from sinking or floating away and allows placement of the bait. However, these bags, like throwing the bait over the side, require the fisherman to manually cut up the bait, which is labor intensive, time consuming, and messy, especially if a very fine cut consistency is desired. In order to address such problems, some automation was introduced into the chummers, wherein bait is placed into an opening in the chummer, and the chummer is plunged up and down through the water by the user, such up and down reciprocal movement through the water causing the reciprocation or rotation of one or more blades within the chummer, which blades chop the bait up prior to expulsion from the device. While such devices relieve the user from having to manually chop the bait, they still require a considerable amount of manual effort in plunging the device up and down within the water. Other devices have been proposed that attempt to eliminate the manual effort of using a chummer by providing some form of a motor to perform the chopping of the bait. Bait is fed into such a device and the operation of the motor causes the blade to chop the bait. While such prior art devices relieve the user from having to either manually chop the bait or to manually operate the chummer, such devices are unduly complex in design and construction making them expensive to manufacture, operate, and maintain. Additionally, such devices are very difficult to clean after the fishing expedition is over.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a chummer that addresses the above-stated problems experienced in the art, which chummer relieves the user from either having to manually chop the bait or having to manually operate the chummer. Such a device should automatically chop and expel bait with minimal interaction from the user. Such a device must be relatively simple in design and construction so that it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and is relatively easy to operate and maintain. Ideally, such a device is easy to clean after use of the device is complete.